Plans to build biogas plant in Hartlepool

Plans have been submitted to build a biogas plant to help power the National Grid.

Agent England and Lyle has put in the proposals for an anaerobic digestion unit to Hartlepool Borough Council for an unused field off Brenda Road and next to the Dean Group Business Park.

The application sets out how the land is largely grassland and has been used for horse grazing in the past, and is near Clydesdale Forge, Seaton Snook, where there is a small branch line to Hartlepool Power Station, and the former Baker Hughes chemical manufacturing plant.

The plans state that if approved, a 5.1 megawatt anaerobic digestion production unit and combined heat and power unit would be built.

It would see mixed feedstock, including maize, wheat, chaff, slurry, food waste, garden waste, animal by-product and glycerol, processed to create a biogas, made up of approximately 52% methane.

This would be subject to biological desulpherisation before being exported directly to the National Grid, with the remainder used to fuel the combined heat and power plant.

The by-product left over will be exported from the site for use as a fertiliser.

The site is expected to employ between three and five staff, who will work a regular 24-hour shift pattern.

Deliveries are not expected to go over 10 HGV movements a day, and England and Lyle says it will be in keeping with the industrial area.

The firm also says the the car park would be visible from outside the site to the south of the main structures and will enhance security.